09 January 2004	Friday	16 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) has rejected the 17th amendment in totality and termed it to have been brought about in clear violation of the basic principles of the Constitution, parliamentary form of government and the rule of law.

It observed that through this constitutional act army dictatorship has been strengthened, extended, and precedence provided for any other "adventurer" to usurp power.

Briefing newsmen after presiding over his party's steering committee meeting the PTI chairman, Imran Khan, said on Thursday that Gen Pervez Musharraf was still an illegitimate president and no person who usurps power through unconstitutional means can be legitimized under any justification and under any circumstances.

He criticised the MMA's role of facilitating the army rule and announced that he would extend full support to the ARD for the nomination of its candidates for the posts of leader of the opposition in the National Assembly as well as in the Senate.

The PTI chairman said parliamentary systems the world over did not allow a vote of confidence for the election/continuation in power for the president.

He maintained that there were five main issues arising from the 17th amendment which inter alia include;

1. Accepting a president in uniform violates the basic principle laid down in the Constitution and also the rules and procedure envisaged in the Constitution for electing the president. There was no concept of vote of confidence for the president in any constitutional/political system of the world.

2. Arming the president with unprecedented powers like: i) 58(2)b power to dissolve assemblies; ii) Appointment of services chiefs, governors, election commissioner, head of State Bank etc; iii) depriving parliament and provincial assemblies of their power of legislation on most important subjects like, NAB, police, election machinery, political parties, local government and the SBP.

3. The basic character of the whole Constitution, he said, had been changed and it ceases to be a parliamentary form of government and the will of the people has been subordinated to one person.

Mr Khan stated that the PTI would play its role as a flag bearer of supremacy of Constitution, the rule of law, and parliament and provincial autonomy.

He pledged that the party would continue its struggle to restore self-respect, independence and sovereignty of the country and will leave no stone unturned until these objectives were achieved and all possible means would be employed to bring this awareness among the masses.

APP adds: Mr Khan said that resumption of Pakistan-India talks is a positive sign which will improve the situation of the region, adding that the peoples of the region wanted peace.